*Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters in it. I simply borrow them for my own musings and fantasies and do not get paid for their use in said musings or fantasies. –Nira

Chapter 27

After their celebratory ramen dinner, Iruka and Yuriko walked Naruto home so he could sleep and prepare for meeting his teammates and new Team Leader the next day, and the adults slowly started making their way back to the center of the village in content, though slightly charged silence. It wasn't long before Yuriko spoke up, a question on her mind from the previous night's events. Iruka had stood in front of her and Naruto, taking the giant shuriken to the back to protect them. He knew that Yuriko was more than capable of taking care of herself, being former ANBU, but he'd put himself in harm's way for her, anyway.

"Hey, Iruka-san?" she called, her cheeks slightly tinged pink above her mask and eyes downcast, watching her feet as they walked.

"Hm?" he hummed, his expression calm and completely at ease.

"Last night against Mizuki… why did you protect me? I could have handled it."

It was Iruka's turn to blush and his body tensed. The last time he had confessed his feelings for her he'd been denied and she hadn't acknowledged what he thought was an obvious proclamation of his affections. Now that she was asking him directly, he hesitated in giving her a direct answer out of fear that she would deny him again.

"I know you could… I guess it was just kind of automatic. You were in danger and your life was more important than my own, so I acted."

"But why?" she insisted so his cheeks burned brighter.

"I… I value you as a cherished comrade and friend. I would hate for anything bad to happen to you," he confessed again, unsure of how she would take it this time. He was sure he'd said it in a way not to explicitly imply his romantic interest in her so if she denied it again, it wouldn't hurt so bad this time.

Yuriko was silent, contemplating his reasoning. He cared for her as a friend and colleague. That, she could understand and relate to. She cared for him in the same way, but she sensed that there was more to it by the way his demeanor changed slightly. She just wasn't sure if she wanted to know what the "more" of it was or if she could admit to herself that it was more than just that for her, too. For now, it was enough, so she nodded with a smile.

"You didn't have to protect me… but thank you. And thank you for sharing your story about what your life was like after having lost your parents. I know you were speaking to Naruto directly and you probably hadn't meant for me to hear it, but thank you for sharing it, anyway. I had a moment of revelation as you cried."

"Revelation? What kind of revelation?" he inquired, his brows quirked quizzically as he looked at her.

"We are the same, and seeing you cry… it reminded me of a similar time in my own life. It pained me to see you like that, and it was agony to remember that time. It's not a pleasant place to be, mentally, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, especially not someone as kind and generous as you. I didn't want you to hurt anymore, and I wasn't sure what to do, if anything, to stop it."

Iruka paused in his walking, his cheeks scarlet as he stared at her, eyes wide and mouth agape. Had he heard her correctly? Had she just confessed to caring for him as possibly more than friends in a very roundabout way? The darkened pink of her own cheeks and her downward gaze that refused to meet his as she twirled her hair around her fingers confirmed it for the young teacher. A warm, genuine smile spread across his lips and his gaze softened as he looked at her. It was a small victory, he knew, but it meant so much more to Iruka than she could ever have known.

Kakashi had met with the Hokage who explained to him about the new Genin squad that he would be leading, giving him a tour of their homes and telling him about their upbringing and characters. The other teams that he had been assigned had failed his test miserably and he'd sent them all back to the academy. They had all missed the point of it, so Kakashi had begun to question if his criteria were too strict, but he'd run into them all randomly one day while out and about and they had all thanked him for one reason or another. It came as a bit of a shock, but it reaffirmed Kakashi's resolve to keep his standards high for the next team.

He was very surprised to see that the Hokage had put the top of the class, Sasuke Uchiha, with the bottom of the class, Naruto, and a girl who had the second highest test scores but average ninjutsu, Sakura Haruno on a team together, however, but as he explained his reasoning, Kakashi realized the benefits and potential of having them on the same team. Once he'd gotten the rundown of his team, he went home in the hopes that Yuriko was home as well so that he could tell her about them, knowing her connection with Naruto. He was sure that she'd be excited to know that he would become Naruto's new teacher if they could pass his test. He was skeptical, but there was a small sliver of hope that maybe they would be the first ones to pass and he wanted to invite Yuriko to witness it, herself. He'd wanted to invite her before, but she'd been so involved with her studies for her own exam that he hadn't wanted to bother her.

When he got home, he saw that Yuriko's lights were out, so he went inside and got ready to settle in for the night. It wasn't much longer after that he heard Yuriko's door and jumped up, excited to share his news with her and invite her to meet them. He knocked on her door and when she answered, she was shocked to see him.

"Good evening, Kakashi-senpai. What can I do for you?" she inquired.

"I have some news and a proposition that I think you might find interesting," he smiled, barely able to contain his excitement. "May I come in?"

She smiled and stepped aside to let him in before walking into the kitchen to put the kettle on while Kakashi followed. It wasn't often that he was so showing of his emotions so she knew it had to be something good. Kakashi immediately dove into explaining his assignment as the Team Leader for Naruto and two other newly graduated Genin which indeed piqued her interest, and as he explained his test and that none of the other teams he'd been assigned passed, Yuriko furrowed her brows, contemplating it.

"...so I was wondering if you'd be interested in bearing witness to it all firsthand tomorrow. Perhaps it could give you some ideas on how you would test and handle your own team once you've been assigned to one," Kakashi finished.

"I'd like that," Yuriko smiled. "Thank you for inviting me. It'll be good to see how Naruto-kun works with others. He's been alone for so long, I wonder how it'll go. I worry about him sometimes."

Kakashi just smiled, watching as she pondered over her tea clasped between both hands, her gaze distant. For a while, it seemed like she'd gone off somewhere else, present only in body as her thoughts were focused on everything and nothing all at once.

"Is something wrong?" he asked after a while, bringing her back to the present.

"Sorry. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"I had a thought last night that made me realize something about Naruto-kun, Iruka-san, my own upbringing… and you. I see lots of connections and similarities. Most of them are sad or painful… but it's not all bad. I've smiled a lot more since coming to Konoha and spending time with you all. I think I can finally say that this is home… that this is where I'm supposed to be. And I have the three of you, especially to thank for that."

The blush that heated Kakashi's face was in direct response to the gentle smile aimed at him. He was dumbstruck, unsure of how to respond and at a complete loss for words, but his heart was fluttering uncontrollably in his chest. Yuriko could tell that he wasn't sure what to say or do, so she chuckled. She'd never seen her senpai so flustered and it was endearing, but she started thinking about his test again and her face fell slightly. He hadn't explained his reasoning for the harshness of his grading criteria, so she guessed that it had to do with something painful from his past. She sipped her tea, staring at him for a moment and when his blush deepened under her scrutiny, he began to fidget slightly.

"What is it? You're staring. Did I say or do something strange or wrong?" he inquired.

"No… I'm trying to figure you out."

"Figure what out, exactly?"

"Why you're so harsh on your students and why teamwork is so important to you. You didn't even touch on it as you explained the test, itself, so I'm assuming that it has something to do with part or parts of your past that you prefer not to talk or think about… maybe things that haunt your nightmares, so you avoid them?"

"Ah…" Kakashi sighed, his demeanor turning sour and expression darkening. "You are not wrong… A lack of teamwork and my own stubbornness is what sealed the fate of my friends on a critical mission… I can't let the same happen to any of my students or comrades. I made a promise on that day that I would never again let my comrades die if there was anything I could do to prevent or stop it."

Not needing a deeper explanation, Yuriko simply nodded in understanding. It dawned on her then that her test would be something along the lines of trusting each other and knowing how to read others' intentions. She wasn't sure exactly how she would pull it off or make a test of it, but it was an idea that she could ruminate on at a later time. She was tired after a long day following a long night and was ready to crawl into bed for some much-needed rest.

"I appreciate that you thought to include me, Senpai. I look forward to seeing how it all works out tomorrow," she smiled, hoping that he would get the hint that she wanted him to leave.

Not wanting to overstay his welcome, Kakashi smiled and nodded before thanking her for the tea and taking his leave.

Yuriko waited for Kakashi outside of the schoolhouse while she watched as the other jounin leaders including Asuma and Kurenai each picked up their teams, waving to her with a smile as they walked off. Asuma picked up Team 10 consisting of Ino Yamanaka, Chouji Akimichi, and Shikamaru Nara while Kurenai picked up Team 8 of Hinata Hyuuga, Shino Aburame, and Kiba Inuzuka. They each seemed excited to have new proteges and Yuriko watched after them in slight envy. Kakashi arrived about an hour late and apologized to Yuriko who glared at him as he walked up.

"You're late, Senpai…"

"Sorry. I had something I needed to take care of," he apologized with a small smile and a sad tone of voice.

Not wanting to push the issue, noting his saddened expression, Yuriko simply nodded and followed him into the building. When they arrived at the classroom, as Kakashi opened the door a chalkboard eraser fell on his head and Yuriko could hear Naruto's obnoxious laughter from inside followed by the whining voice of a girl as she said that it was Naruto's idea and that she'd tried to talk him out of it. Yuriko sighed, thinking that they were already off to a bad start, and Kakashi's tensed posture and the ominous aura that he exuded affirmed that he agreed. As Yuriko stepped into view, Naruto's eyes widened and he pointed at her.

"Yuriko nee-chan, what are you doing here?!" he hollered. "Do we have two team leaders?"

"Negative. I'm here to observe," she stated, curt and to the point.

"Oh…"

"How should I put this? My first impression of you guys? I hate you," Kakashi stated, blunt and to the point and the children all made a face of stunned disbelief. "Anyway, follow me."

With a sigh, he turned back around and started making his way to the roof while the three Genin and Yuriko followed. When they'd all reached the roof and settled down, the Jounin standing side by side and facing the Genin who sat on the stairs, Kakashi started by asking for introductions. In the end, all he really told them about himself was his name, deciding not to let them know his likes and dislikes and saying only that his hobbies were various and that he hadn't thought about his dreams for the future. Yuriko couldn't help the smirk that crossed her lips as she thought that it was probably better he not inform them, knowing his hobbies and the types of books that he enjoyed. They weren't very child-friendly.

Naruto began and practically his whole introduction was about his obsession with ramen and his dream of surpassing the Hokage and being acknowledged by the entire village. Next was Sakura who also didn't explain much but blushed furiously and squirmed around in her seat as she kept glancing meaningfully at Sasuke, but her one and only dislike was Naruto. Lastly was Sasuke whose introduction was as dark as his hair and eyes. He didn't have any particular likes, many dislikes, and rather than a dream, he explained his ambition to kill a certain man and bring back the glory of his clan. Yuriko tensed up as she examined him, unnerved by the dark presence about him. It was a constant, unlike Yuriko, Iruka, and Kakashi's whose all came and went with certain circumstances.

"What about you, Yuriko nee-chan?" Naruto smiled, wanting to include her in the conversation and just excited that she was there at all.

"I doubt I will be around much. As I said earlier, I am here merely to observe," Yuriko stated, matter-of-factly. "But, for those of you who do not know me, my name is Yuriko Kobayashi, aged 23. I like flowers and pretty things, and there are several things that I dislike. In my free time, I enjoy learning, training, and swimming."

"What about your dream for the future, Yuriko-san?" Sakura inquired, a smile on her face.

Yuriko remained silent, but she couldn't help the slight grin that graced her lips. Since she was young, she'd always wanted to move to Konoha and become a shinobi, but now that she had, she didn't know what to do next. She hadn't thought about it, content with how her life was already, but now that the question had been asked, she couldn't not think about it. As her silence dragged on, Sakura's smile faded and Kakashi took it upon himself to wrap things up.

"Alright. The three of you are very distinctive and interesting. Tomorrow we'll have a mission, and Yuriko-san will be observing again."

He explained about the next day's survival exercise and Yuriko chuckled when he said for them to skip breakfast and be there at five in the morning, knowing full well that he probably wouldn't show up until at least eight or nine. When the Genin were dismissed, Yuriko and Kakashi walked home in knowing silence.